NC Beautiful Announces Recipients of 2007 Windows of Opportunity Grants

NC Beautiful, a provider of environmental education and beautification opportunities that elevate the quality of life of North Carolinians, has announced this year’s recipients of the organization’s environmental education grants. The grants are available to certified, full-time K-12 teachers in the state of North Carolina.

Windows of Opportunity provides $1,000 grants to NC teachers to reward their creativity fostering environmental stewardship, leadership, and awareness and initiating a sense of community service. Thirty-two schools, representing a total of $32,000 in educational grants, were presented with their grants this month. Each school must use its grant by June 2008.

Each grant applicant was required to complete a five-section online application that included a two-page project narrative, budget, and commitment letter, which commits the school to complete the projected work. NC Beautiful Executive Director, Steve Vacendak, says that the number of schools applying this year was most gratifying.

"There definitely was an increase in grant applications this year," says Vacendak. "We are extremely pleased with the amount of interest shown by our educators in creating and promoting excitement about our environment among their students. The mission of NC Beautiful is to foster environmental stewardship through education and outreach, and one of the main ways we accomplish this is through our teachers."

The Windows of Opportunity grants were created to cultivate an appreciation of natural environments by helping children get out of school and into natural settings. The grants also build leadership awareness, develop environmental educational mentors and ambassadors, create materials and resources that can be used by other K-12 students, and develop a sustainable, outdoor program, which will continue well after the grant period ends.

Schools that received a Windows of Opportunity grant were Mountain View Elementary School, Morganton Day School, Weddington Hills Elementary, Harry M Arndt Middle School, Tri-County Early College, Reeds Elementary, Piney Grove Elementary School, Southeast Middle School, South Mecklenburg High School, International Studies School at Garinger, Jay M. Robinson Middle School, Albemarle Road Middle School, Trinity Episcopal School, Walter Williams High School, Pope Elementary School, George Watts Montessori Magnet, Carolina Friends School, Smith Middle School, Partnership Academy Alternative School, Central Elementary, Pleasant Union Elementary School, Leesville Road High School, Harris Creek Elementary, Wiley International Studies Magnet Elementary School, Yates Mill Elementary, North Forest Pines Elementary, Penny Road Elementary, Northside High School, Newport Middle School, Buckland Elementary School, DC Virgo Middle School, and Bellamy Elementary.

About NC Beautiful
NC Beautiful has been part of the state’s environmental preservation community for 40 years, supporting awareness, education and beautification efforts that affect our quality of life. Today, we concentrate on hands-on and merit-based programs designed to empower our citizens to preserve the natural beauty of the state of North Carolina. Whether it’s school children building outdoor classrooms, graduate students developing cutting-edge research, or a Boy Scout troop planting azaleas at an elder care facility, we make it possible for North Carolinians to keep NC Beautiful.